When gaining new business entrepreneurs love to talk about bottom lines and closing deals.  This should all be language we use ‘internally’ of course, but it is often how we talk…and even think about it.  I want to invite you to have a reframe. What if we look at the energy of ‘opening’ vs ‘closing’. Think about the words themselves.  Opening is receiving and allowing. Closing is protecting and repelling. It can be a pervasive thought pattern in how we treat the process. What if we not only look at it as ‘opening relationships’ vs ‘closing deals’, but also actually change the thoughts and the language we use internally?

Can you feel the difference?

Opening relationships inherently dictates that we are in for the long haul of service.  We are establishing connections that goes beyond the sale. It breeds trust and loyalty.  People will break a contract, but they will not break a relationship. Give them reasons to choose and stay with you beyond price and experience.

Opening relationships also allows you to build an unpaid sales force of heart centered, ride or die fans through referrals.  This is free advertising and comes with the highest rates of conversion. Referrals transfer their trust in you to those they refer, they share their already great experience and people come to the conversation ready to say yes.  It’s a slam dunk.

So why do most businesses focus largely and sometimes exclusively on new business and closing deals?!

Instead of compensating for the churn and burning the greatest amount of your energy and attention on new acquisition what if you focus on relationship and instead of letting them stampede out the back door? Close the back door.  Nurture them, love them up, compliment them, celebrate them and ask them to bring their tribe. Serving these people, keeping them and inviting them to bring their circle of influence is infinitely easier than getting a yes from a cold lead.

Sounds pretty great to me!

Ask yourself why your current clients wouldn’t refer to you and then make sure you solve those problems.  Ask them for their trust through referral and then give them the verbiage to make it easy to talk to thier people.

Open relationships…stop closing deals

Do you need help closing the back door?  Drop us a note here or reach out via your Facebook and we are happy to offer support.  Together, let’s serve more people!